A man who broke into the flat of an amputee and ran him over with his own car leaving him to die in the street has been jailed for 13 years.
Back in December 2019, 51-year-old Marc Allen interrupted Errol Woodger robbing items from his ground floor flat in Erith, south east London, including the car keys to his Mercedes.
The grey Mercedes GLA had been supplied by a Motability car scheme and was parked in the forecourt at the time it was stolen.
Mr Allen – who had a prosthetic leg – had been either dozing or watching television when he spotted the intruder on CCTV.
He tried to stop the former soldier driving off in his car, but Woodger deliberately drove at him, running him over and causing him fatal injuries.
MailOnline reported neighbour Linda Rumsey, who witnessed the incident, recalled: "He slid down the back of the boot and his head went bang when it hit the floor, I heard his head crack, it sent a shiver through me.
"'Whoever was in that car was intent on taking it, nothing was going to stop him."
Mr Allen was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness and died on Wednesday, 29 January 2020.
Jurors heard the stolen Mercedes was found by police two days after it was taken, on a driveway on the Isle of Dogs.
Woodger was charged with robbery and murder on Wednesday, 19 June 2024 and was remanded into custody.
The 38-year-old of Mottisfont Road, Abbey Wood, was found guilty of robbery and manslaughter, during a three-week trial at the Old Bailey.
'Tragic incident'
Detective Sergeant Nick Bale, of the Met’s Homicide Command, said: “Our thoughts remain with Marc’s family and loved ones.
“I’d like to thank the Homicide team who led on this investigation and the members of the public who were able to help us.
"The response we received to our appeal for information and witnesses following Marc’s senseless death directly led to Mr Woodger’s arrest and charges nearly five years after this tragic incident.
“A man was fatally injured in a brutal way and died as a result – outside his home where he should have felt safe.
"I can only hope that this sentence goes some way in providing a sense of justice to Marc’s family.”